FORT COLLINS – There were a number of questionable positions last season for the Colorado State Rams, but by the end running back didn’t turn out to be one of them.

A three-headed monster at the start of the year faded into The Chris Nwoke Show, as the then-sophomore ran for 825 yards and five touchdowns in the final six games of the season, part of his overall 1,130 yards and nine touchdowns for the season.

Starters: Nwoke is the man here, one of the few unquestioned starters on the football team going into the season. A junior, he was selected to the preseason all-Mountain West team, and is expecting big things from himself but denies he feels added pressure to perform. He’s added five pounds, dropped body fat, and says he’s lost no speed or quickness in the process. The Colorado State running game starts with him, and Nwoke benefits by running behind a big, experienced offensive line.

Depth: A host of young, talented backs are waiting in the wings, and they’ll all be counted on in some capacity to fill-in for Nwoke, whether it be from a fatigue standpoint or because of injury. Coach Jim McElwain wants four running backs to be ready for the season, and the four players essentially vying for three reserve spots are redshirt freshmen Davon Riddick and Donnell Alexander along with true freshman Tommey Morris and senior Mark Woodbury.

Alexander and Riddick have been called change-of-pace running backs that give the defense a bit of a different look from the powerful Nwoke. Offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin has been high on Woodbury, a walk-on, since the spring. Anyway it’s sliced, through, McElwain and the offensive staff are confident they have a solid stable of backs – even if they are mostly young and inexperienced.